Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Extract from "Second to None" by Dr Roger Freeman pp 292/3

"One evening in prison while we were waiting for our tea, a young lady beckoned to me and showed me a note. I got a gas mask satchel and let it down over the wall by means of a string, into which the girl put her note, which to my immense relief I found to be written in English. What was even better still, it was from British prisoners who were billeted in the town, and who had written to ask how we were situated in regard to food and clothing.

We lost no time in writing an answer telling them that we would be grateful for anything they could spare us.

I hailed the little lady who had unconsciously done so much for us and handed down the reply.

Within three hours to our overwhelming surprise, three Tommies (British soldiers) came marching in, each with a great sack of stuff. No words wither in English or German could express our feelings at the joyful inspiring sight of a strange face yet speaking our own language.

These boys gave us some useful information as to how we should act and above all impressed on us that as long as we kept moving reasonably, Fritz had no right to hurry us at all.

What we wanted to know more than all else was how long it would be before our parcels would reach us.

The sight of their careless, happy yet determined faces was in itself enough to cheer us up tremendously, and the vigorous shake of their hard-worked and scarred hands, which one could feel came straight from their hearts, and as we were the first 'Aussies' they had ever seen, the novelty and greeting was not all on one side.

The sentries would not allow them to stay for very long, so they tipped out their bags, and went back to their waiting comrades, with the promise that, if allowed, they would come back each week.

Then came the pleasant task of dividing the food and clothing between us which took quite a long time, none of us being eager for bed that night. But after eating, and alas, gorging ourselves to the full, we did at last turn in and dream of all manner of pleasant dinners and luncheons.

The arrival of this food and the information we received tended to make us feel independent and more buoyant. Our hearts once more beat regularly , and we were helped to forget the previous days of hunger and almost despair."

His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to approve of the reward of the Military Medal to Private Wesley Choat in recognition of gallant conduct and determination displayed in escaping or attempting to escape from captivity which services have been brought to notice.
Extract "Second to None" p 356

Extract from Dr Roger Freeman's book "Second to None"

Letter from Welsey Choat.

"We had some splendid shooting, took the first line, and dug ourselves in about a hundred yards beyond. The digging did not go very deep, as when at a foot in depth we found water, and we had to make a barricade.

Those of us who had reached so far held on, and made as much cover as possible, and were complimenting ourselves on a good success at the first advance, when the order came: "We are surrounded, every man for himself".

Although surprised, we formed up and tried to charge back to our own lines, but a piece of shrapnel, whether from friend or foe I could not say, was stopped by my nose, the force of which toppled me into a nearby shell-hole and robbed me of my senses for some time.

On coming to consciousness all was comparatively quiet, but 'Fritz' was around gathering up the living and then the awful realisation came over me "I am a prisoner of war". The thought alone was enough to try the strongest nerve, and by what I saw and had heard, I fully expected to be killed outright or worked to death behind the lines. My feelings were made more miserable by the fact that I was the only man living in that sector, and began to think that 'my number' surely was up., but on getting into their communication trench I found , to my immense relief there were others of my comrades in the same plight, and on reaching the road to which this trench led, I met more of our boys, about twenty in all. We were then marched to the Field Dressing Station, where the worst of he wounds were dressed, and any case of men unable to walk . were sent direct to hospital.

On reaching this station I found three hundred in all, 'Tommies' and 'Aussies'. From there we were placed under a mounted guard and taken right through LIlle, where we were greeted at almost every window by a camera, anxious to get a good photo of the first batch of 'Aussies'. The sight of us, battle worn, muddy and with clots of blood allover us, had a very depressing effect on the French population, and it was a very frequent and pathetic sight to see an elderly woman dressed in black, sobbing and crying over our apparent failure.

Another very common experience was when some French lady, who was probably depriving herself and family of needed food, would venture as close as possible, and attempt to hand us some piece of their black war bread. But as soon as a sentry noticed, he would turn his horse in her direction , flourishing his lance, and using very lurid language."

Wesley Choat, MM pp 85 'Second to None'.